The United States has expressed regret over China's decision to expel American journalists at the The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal from the country.
Expelling the journalists, Beijing issued a statement saying the move was a retaliation to Washington's decision to cut the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work for the Chinese state-run media on American soil.
"I regret China's decision to further foreclose the world's ability to conduct free press operations, which, frankly would be really good for the Chinese people in these incredibly challenging global times, where more information, more transparency are what will save lives," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday.
"This is unfortunate. I hope they'll reconsider," he added.
The White House National Security Council said that the Chinese Communist Party's decision to expel journalists from China and Hong Kong was yet another step towards depriving the Chinese people and the world of access to true information about China.
"The United States calls on China's leaders to refocus their efforts from expelling journalists and spreading disinformation to joining all nations in stopping the Wuhan coronavirus," it said.
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Congressman Michael McCaul, lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the action was the most serious blow yet to press freedom in China.
"It's clear the CCP's biggest fear is accountability and this will only embolden our journalists to continue reporting the truth. We stand by the brave reporters, some of whom have suffered violence and threats from the CCP regime, as Beijing's coronavirus coverup continues," he said.
McCaul hoped that Beijing will answer his call to take accountability for its role in the spread of the coronavirus and become a part of the solution to protect people around the world.
Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said Chinese President Xi Jinping was terrified of a free and independent press because he did not want to be challenged when his government spewed insane propaganda like the recent conspiracy theory that the US created COVID-19.
"The Chinese Communist Party only cares about establishing Xi Jinping's voice as the one source of 'objective news' in and out of China," he claimed.
"Chairman Xi can expel all the real journalists he wants, but he can't change the fact that his coronavirus cover-up killed thousands of his own people and put the world at risk," Sasse said.
"This is an outrageous move on behalf of the Chinese government," said Ami Bera, Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation.
Journalists have the right and duty to work and report in every country, he said. "I have supported greater transparency and global health cooperation between the United States and China, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. But these latest actions undermine the trust between our two countries," he added.
"They are especially alarming in light of reports on the disappearance of Ren Zhiqiang, a Chinese Communist Party member who criticised the Chinese response to COVID-19. I hope the Chinese government will reverse course immediately," Bera added.